


Just Like Him

by in_a_blog_in_the_ground



Series: One-Shots [2]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Brother Feels, Gen, Kid!Fic, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-29
Updated: 2013-06-29
Packaged: 2017-12-16 13:13:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/862411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/in_a_blog_in_the_ground/pseuds/in_a_blog_in_the_ground
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oin needs to go pick some herbs, is forced to babysit Gloin. </p><p>Events ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Like Him

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bofur1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/gifts).



> Prompt from my buddy Bofur1:
> 
> "kidfic?? Glóin and Óin shenanigans??"
> 
> We were both feeling pretty braindead when I asked ok XD

“Gloin! Gloin, where are you! Stop messing abou’, now…”

Oin trudged though the scrub, trying to catch a glimpse of his brother through the drizzling rain. He was in no mood for games. He was drenched, tired, and of that age where surliness is guaranteed in a youth. Not a good combination.

-

The young Sons of Groin were hiking through the wildlands outside of their town on a twofold purpose.

Their mother had developed a slight cold, and Oin was going to pick some medicinal plants to brew into a healing tea for her. Though it was a fairly minor illness, it was still enough that Groin had impressed the care of Gloin onto his elder son for the day while he was at the forges. Trying to suppress his great reluctance, Oin winced as Gloin squealed his great delight into his ear, and endured with quiet suffering Gloin perching himself upon his shoulders, excited to be going on an outing past the town line with his big brother.

The second reason was that Oin had been noticed by a famed apothecary in the area, and the final test before he would be accepted as the doctor’s apprentice was to make a draught to induce restful sleep and peaceful dreams. When the warriors had returned from the terrible Battle of Azanulbizar, the potion had come into great demand. If made correctly, it had the ability to safely ease a troubled mind back to the right path without forming a dependence. Even before this assignment, Oin had studied for weeks how to brew it properly, for his father had been suffering nightmares of late, though his physical wounds had since healed. Fortunately, the necessary herbs could be found close by, though not often in great quantities.

-

So great was Gloin’s excitement to be on the trip, that as soon as they had gotten out of sight of the houses, Gloin launched himself headlong into the shrubs, ignoring the cries of Oin to keep close.

Cursing, Oin crashed through the bushes, trying to keep him in sight. The younger dwarf was small and quick, and his cloak blended into the landscape. Soon it began to rain, and Oin could barely see for the water lashing into his eyes. Before long, he couldn’t even hear Gloin’s exuberant shouts.

That had been almost an hour ago, and Oin was on the verge of panic. He drew in breath to shout again, but as he did, he heard a faint cry of “Help!”

Cold fear in his heart, he tore through the scrubland in the direction he thought he heard his brother’s voice.

“Gloin! Call out! Ah’m coming!”

“Oin! Oin, help me!”

Oin reached a patch of land where a flat protrusion of rock was exposed. He was gearing himself up to vault over a gap between the slabs using his father’s iron staff, borrowed for the trek, when a high voice squeaked out, “Brudder!”

He looked down into the crack to see the tear-streaked, red and round face of Gloin. He breathed a huge sigh of relief and lay on his stomach, sticking out his arm to haul his little brother back up.

“There ye are, Gloin! What have Ah told ye abou’ runnin’ off, eh? Ah won’ tell Father this time, but you pull this nonsense again, an’ Ah won’ take ye out wit’ me anymore!”

Gloin whimpered and started to reach toward his hand, but pulled back suddenly, looking down with fear.

“Now what’s the matter? Jus’ jump a bit, Ah’m right…” Oin’s voice trailed off as he realized the reason for his brother’s hesitation. In the space between the ledge where Gloin stood and Oin’s hand, there was a slit of utter darkness, unnoticed in the dim light. Gloin’s hesitant step before he shied back had dislodged some small rocks that bounced into the gap, falling soundlessly for a very long time.

Little Gloin was too small to reach his brother’s hand without leaping, and was clearly scared of falling into the chasm. Oin thought quickly about how to rescue him. The answer was obvious, really.

Retrieving the staff, Oin extended the end of it down to his brother. It stretched across perfectly.

“Grab on tae this, Gloin, and Ah’ll pull ye across. Both hands now.”

Gloin reached out one pudgy hand and latched on. He gave a firm nod to show he was ready and unafraid.

“Both hands, Ah said! What’s the matter now?”

Gloin stretched his other hand out, showing the wilted flowers clenched in his fist.

“What have ye got those for? Drop ‘em, and grab on! It’s raining, Ah haven’t found any of the herbs Ah need yet, since Ah’ve been chasin’ after you, and Ah _do not_ have time for this, Gloin!”

“No!”came Gloin’s defiant refusal.

“Why?!”

“Dese are for Mudder! Ah picked ‘em mysel’!”

“We’ll find more! Drop them!”

“No!”

Cursing some more, Oin retracted the staff, and getting up, stomped around in a furious circle, both to restore some circulation, and to let off some steam. When he had finished muttering things about stubborn and infuriating little brothers, he returned to the hole to find Gloin doing much the same thing, save for the pacing. Oin heaved out a last great sigh, and lay down once more in resignation.

“Gloin. Look. It’s very kind of ye tae have picked those for Mother, Ah’m sure she wouldae liked them very much, but Ah know she would like it much better if she could have _you._ Gloin, Ah cannae get ye out if ye don’ hold on wit’ both hands, yer too small to just hang on wit’ jus’ one. Please, Gloin, lessen tae me, and drop th’ flowers. Ah want me little brother back.”

As he listened to him speak, Gloin kept the flowers clutched tightly against his chest, but when he saw Oin looking down at him helplessly, he sniffed against sudden tears, and opened his hands. The flowers floated silently into the darkness of the fissure.

Oin let out the breath he’d been unconsciously holding when he saw Gloin reach out both arms to him as if wanting to be picked up. He pushed the staff back into the crevice and retracted it with a brother safe on the other end. When he had him at last in his arms, Oin held Gloin tightly for a moment before setting him back on the ground.

“Now. D’ye want tae help me find some plants? They look like this…”

Holding Gloin’s hand and with the other pulling out a crumpled sheet with carefully drawn diagrams of the necessary herbs, Oin led Gloin back to the scrublands, where they were very successful in finding everything Oin needed, and more flowers for their mother besides.

-

The Sons of Groin returned home far later than expected; dirty, exhausted, but triumphant. Groin was pleased to see his elder son’s indulgent smile as he watched his brother present their mother with their messy bouquet and regale her with stories of his day of adventure.

“Good tae see you two getting’ along,” he said, coming up alongside Oin. “He looks up tae you quite a lot, son.”

Startled, Oin looked up at his father. “He does? But…he’s always jus’ runnin’ around, getting’ in my things…”

“He’s at that age where he’s curious abou’ everythin’. You were jus’ like that, too, Ah remember. Always underfoot, you were,” Groin said with a fond smile.

“That’s because Ah-” Oin stopped short, suddenly remembering that the reason he was always following his father around as a small child was that _he wanted to be just like him._

Red with realization, Oin fumbled around with his pack while stammering that he should go prepare the cold medicine. As he made his way to the kitchen, Gloin hopped off the chair where their mother had been resting and joined him, latching onto his hand and asking an endless stream of questions on how he could help. Oin was hard-pressed to keep up.

Groin went to his wife’s side, laying a gentle arm over her shoulder, and the two shared a laugh as they heard Oin mutter one last thing to his brother.

“Ah guess ye could be worse.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope this was generally what you were asking for, Bof XD
> 
> Thanks for the prompt :)


End file.
